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Monday, April 30, 2012

Why We Love the Rain!

Since the preschoolers first started at Tumbleweed, we have encouraged their love for all types of weather by being outside no matter what is happening in the sky.


 

Because of the preschoolers continuing time spent in all types of weather, they find as much joy in the rain as they do in the sunshine.

The preschoolers love the rain and are constantly working, exploring, and discovering as they experiment with the falling rain and the puddles left by the rain. Over the past couple of weeks, I have watched the preschoolers closely to see how many different ways they explore the rain.

Here are just a few observations of explorations and conversations highlighting why we love the rain:


We can explore puddles
 

                     
                       
                           We can make lakes and rivers     
                                                                                




TS- "This is a lot. This is a river!"                            



                                                                    We can gather water





                                                                                                                   We ask for help






    TLC turned to SF and asked, "Can you fill up my container?" GS also asked SF, "Can you fill up my container?" SF replied, "Yeah."
  





                         We offer help                                                       





JH exclaims, "It's raining," as he walks over to TLC and GS. He asks, "Can I help?" He takes his container of water and pours it into TLC's container.


We can make soup

                                                                           
                                                                             We can pour and mix

                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                              We can  make observations about the rain






                                      KC- "It's a downpour!"















We can swing as the raindrops touch our face


                        We can stretch and exercise                                                                                         
 






JH- "It's really tricky to exercise."                            



  We can climb slick surfaces
         


We can build wet, slippery buildings



                                                                                                                    We can hunt for crocodiles





KC- "Crocodile water. There's a crocodile in there!"
MR- "Well they don't bite me."
JH- "Crocodiles are really scary."








                                        
                                                                  We can measure and experiment with volume





We can balance on slick surfaces



                        We can explore how water falls through holes in the bottom of containers

    



 SF- "TS, watch me!"

   
   We can help life begin and provide nourishment for plants to prosper



Rain provides an outside environment of endless possibilities. The preschoolers pour, measure, mix, test volume and weight, share, imagine, create, water plants, and climb and explore wet textures the rain leaves behind. They are constantly discovering new ways to explore, experiment, and create imagined ideas with the rain puddles and wet surfaces. 

We love the rain and what it provides.
As SF said last week as she noticed the newly fallen rain: 
"Water... yay, yay, yay, yay!"





"Let the rain kiss you.  Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.  Let the rain sing you a lullaby."
  ~Langston Hughes



For more outdoor ideas head over to:

4 comments:

  1. There are several great moments here. I am so inspired by your trust in their ability to "stretch and exercise" and "climb on slick surfaces". Such a different world outdoors when its wet.

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  2. This is great! I loved playing outside in the rain when I was a child, but I hardly ever do it anymore. Do you have a good source for rain-pants that you like?

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    1. Most kids here have REI or Lands End, but we really haven't had issue with any. Even the ones we find at the used stores (like Piccolina on Woodstock) have worked really well.

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  3. Rain should never stop kids play. Lovely photos

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